Unfaithful
by louise-83
Summary: Lexie Grey has been unfaithful to her husband since the very day she married him. It's a secret that won't always stay hidden. Does she even want it to?
1. Chapter 1

Mark watches her intensely as she slides out from beneath the crisp, white sheets and perches on the very edge of the king size bed, her long, dark hair gently falling in soft waves down her toned back.

His long fingers stretch towards her, stopping short of brushing her smooth skin as a desperate plea of _"Don't go"_ slips over his lips so quietly that she doesn't hear.

Or she chooses not to.

He forces himself to believe it's the latter. Soothing himself with the lie that if he asked she'd stay, because it's less heart wrenching than the harsh reality that this is all they will ever be.

Swiftly she retrieves her bra from the floor, slotting her arms through the straps and reaching around to hook the fasteners into place, mere hours after he deftly undid it and tossed the black lace garment aside. As his gaze wanders over her beautiful body she stands and gracefully steps into the matching panties, sliding them quickly over her slender thighs before grabbing her fitted blouse and tight fitting pencil skirt and striding into the bathroom.

As the door closes behind her and the soft trickle of a tap fills the air he glances at the thin gold band resting on the bedside table beside her Blackberry and sighs loudly to himself. For the briefest periods of time he gets to pretend that she is his but then, before he's ever ready, the cold, hard truth is always waiting for him.

Shuffling across the bed he reaches out and cradles her cell phone in his palm, flicking straight to the photo folder like he always does when she's out of sight and has left it in plain view. Once he'd even grabbed it from her bag as it teased him, peaking out from between the soft folds of buffalo leather, but that was not a fact of which he was proud.

Scrolling through the photos he feels his heart swell and then pinch as the familiar ache and longing settles in the pit of his stomach.

Engrossed he delves further into the folder of snaps, not noticing that she's returned until she's almost stood over him, now fully dressed and looking far from impressed.

"I…er…I was…" he stumbles, his cheeks flushing crimson at the embarrassment of being caught out.

"You were what?" she scowls before jumping to her own conclusions.

"Oh my god! Mark, were you reading my texts?"

"No, no! I would never do that!"

She could tell that he was being honest. She knew him well enough to know when he was lying. Relief flooded through her and her nerves calmed slightly knowing that he hadn't just read the flurry of somewhat suggestive texts she'd shared with her husband on the commute to work that morning. She hadn't meant a word. It was an all act. She was his wife, she had a role to play and if she played it well then he'd never suspect that she was also playing away.

"Then what are you doing with my phone?"

"Looking at your photos" he confesses knowing he has to be honest.

She couldn't help but let her lips kick up into a tiny smile.

"There are no sexy shots on there, you have all of those on your cell!"

"And they've kept me warm many a night" he grins as she punches him playfully on the arm before swiping her phone from his grasp.

"See!" she announces as she catches sight of the last photo he looked at, still covering the screen.

"Nothing but baby photos on here"

"I know" he nods as she drops the phone into her bag and clips her hospital id back onto the waistband of her figure hugging skirt.

_Dr. Alexandra Avery._

The name typed in a neat black font sitting underneath her smiling photo hits him like a bullet to the heart. Like it does every time. Taking his breath away and crushing him whole.

Before he can compose himself her wedding band is slotted neatly back onto her finger and she kisses him softly before heading for the door.

"I'm so late, I've really got to go! I'll call" she promises.

He knows it won't be long until she does. It never is. But then it's never long until she's leaving again without even a glance back. It kills him that she never looks back. It kills him that she never stays.

"Lex?" he mumbles uncertainly and she twists her head to look at him, still moving towards the exit.

"Mark! I've really got to go!" she sighs not wanting to look back, knowing that if she does she'll never want to leave. She will want this to be real and it never will be. Never can be. She has her son to think about now and he will always come first.

"It was the baby photos I was looking for. I want a paternity test" he tells her firmly.

She stops dead in her tracks, her bag sliding off of her shoulder, slumping down her arm and hovering at her wrist, its weight almost as much to bear as the fear that she's been carrying around with her. The fear that one day he would ask for this.

"No" she shakes her head, gasping a little in shock. She hadn't seen this coming, not today.

"Yes" he states forcefully, surprising even himself. He'd wanted this for so long but he never thought he'd ask for it. Not when the answer could take her away from him forever.

"Mark…"

"I need to know Lex" he pleads, his blue eyes tinged with a sadness she knows she has caused.

"You know…he's Jackson's" she insists, trying not to meet his gaze. "We've talked about this Mark"

"No, no we haven't Lexie" he shakes his head.

"You just decided. You say he's Jackson's but you don't know that. He could be mine…he is mine, he has the Sloan nose!" he pleads a little desperately.

"He looks like me" she protests, thankful that her little boy has her dark hair and big brown eyes and that his Daddy will never look at him and wonder if he was fathered by someone else.

"That doesn't mean he's not mine"

"We were really careful!"

"Are you saying you weren't careful with Avery?" he splutters in disbelief.

"Did you plan to get pregnant?"

The thought wounds him more than any other to ever cross his mind. She'd left him because she didn't want a baby and then she'd gone and planned one with someone else?

"No! No of course I didn't! But he's my husband Mark, so he doesn't think protection is an issue and I was stressed out and maybe I forgot to take my pill…I don't know…"

"Maybe you forgot to take it one of the days when you were with me?"

"I didn't" she looks at him pleadingly, begging him to stop this with her heartbroken look. But he can't. He needs more than just a few hours in bed with the love of his life whenever they happen to be in the same state. And he needs to know if that little boy is his.

"I need to know Lex"

"Why? Why now? He's two years old Mark and you've never asked before!"

"That's a lie and you know it!" his voice is raised now, anger penetrating his tone and his harsh expression.

"You asked once, when I told you I was pregnant. You asked if there was any chance he could be yours and -"

"And you said no" he interrupts.

"And I accepted that Lex, but I never believed it. I just didn't want this to end, I didn't want to drive you away by asking again"

"So why now?"

"Because I deserve better than this" he whispers sadly and she knows it's true, she knows that she's holding him back from a better life but she just can't give him up. She's tried it before, especially when she was pregnant. She managed to stay away for months but then the ache in her heart became unbearable and they were back to their old ways again.

"I don't want a quick shag every now and then Lex, I don't just want you to fit me in when you're in Seattle or when I'm in New York. I want you, _all of you_. And I want _our_ son"

"My son" she whispers. Because at least she knows that is true.

"And I am not a quick shag!" she looks at him disgusted.

"Then what else do you call this?" he questions her angrily.

"Making love?" he scoffs and the tiny laugh that escapes from him pierces her like an arrow.

"Yes!" she exclaims sadly.

"At least it is for me"

"Then I'd hate to see how you treat someone you don't love!"

"I do love you" she murmurs letting her bag drop to the floor and moving back towards the bed.

"Don't!" he holds his hand out to stop her advancing further forward.

"It's not enough anymore Lexie. Telling me you love me and kissing me and then running back to your husband after a couple of hours. It's not enough Lex! _It was never enough_!"

"I know" she mumbles her voice full of shame.

"I know…I was going to leave him"

"You were?" he looks up at her curiously, a sudden hope in his voice.

She nods.

"But then I found out I was pregnant. And it wasn't just about me, or us, anymore. I have Jake to think about now"

"You think I don't think about him? You think I don't think about him every second of every single day? Wondering if my son is being brought up by some other guy?"

"It's too late now" she tells him sadly.

"Jackson is his Daddy. The only one he's ever known and he adores him. I won't hurt him by risking taking that away from him Mark"

"It's not too late Lexie, it's never too late!" he pleads taking her hand and staring into her eyes.

"Jake's young. He would adapt. And I'd love him so much, him and you, we could be a family. That's all I've ever wanted, to be a family with you"

"No" she shakes her head in regret.

"You wanted _a_ family. Whether it involved me or not. And you got it. Sofia and Callie and Arizona. Don't blame me if now you've got it you don't like it!"

"You know we didn't plan Sofia. She's my daughter and I love her but if I could have chosen to have a baby with you instead of Callie I would have done it in a second!"

"It's easy to say that now" she mumbles, staring down at his hand on hers.

"And it's easy to put all the blame on me when you said you didn't want marriage or kids and then before I knew it Avery had a ring on your finger!"

"I'm sorry" she whispers not sure what else to say.

"Me too" he squeezes her hand softly, hating to see her upset but knowing that these things need to be said.

"Jackson has never done anything but love and support me, I can't hurt him Mark"

"And what about hurting _me_? That's okay huh?" he drops her hand as though he just touched hot coal.

"No, no…I'm sorry…we can stop this if that's what you want"

"Of course it's not what I want"

"Me either" she breathes out in relief.

"But I think it's what I need"

"Oh" her heart plummets and all she wants to do is cling to him and never let go but she can tell from the look in his eyes that he's serious.

"I love you Lexie. But I'm done. I deserve so much more than what you're prepared to give"

"You're right" she bites her lip, desperately trying to hold back her tears.

He fights back tears too. Wishing that she loved him enough to give him more. Wishing she'd be his and not some other guy's.

"What about Jake?" she eyes him worriedly.

"You're not going to do something stupid, like lawyers or anything are you?"

"No' he shakes his head defeated.

"You get your way Little Grey. Like always. You get to walk out of here and go back to your perfect little family and I'll go home to Seattle to my empty apartment, you win Lex, you win"

"I lost a long, long time ago" she protests but he's not listening.

"Just go if you're going, have a nice life Lex" he doesn't look at her as he whispers his order.

"I'm sorry" she's crying now as she presses her soft lips to his cheek and speaks into his ear.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be who you wanted"

"You were all I ever wanted" he whispers sadly, but only after the door has slammed shut behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Time passes painstakingly slowly, hours seeming like days and days like weeks.

He is constantly on her mind and forever in her heart.

Not an hour passes when he doesn't have to remind himself that he is meant to be moving on and not thinking about her.

Yet neither makes any attempt to contact the other.

Lexie focuses on Jake and her work whilst avoiding Jackson's not so subtle hints that he wants another baby.

Mark crams in as much overtime as possible in an attempt to distract himself. He would like to spend more time with Sofia instead as his daughter's beautiful smile always makes the world seem right when he is with her. But Callie and Arizona are expecting another baby in a few months and, although they would never say it, he always gets the feeling that they don't want him around so much anymore. So he makes whisky his new best friend and tries to blot out the heartbreaking realisation that he isn't anyone's first choice. And it is becoming increasingly unlikely that he ever will be.

Eventually the heady summer phases into fall, a carpet of gold and crimson leaves camouflage the sidewalks and the promise of a new year and a new start linger not so far in the distance.

And all Lexie Avery wants as she hides in the kitchen of her impressive New York home surrounded by the remnants of a successful Thanksgiving dinner is a new start. She longs for Mark to want her as much as she wants him. _Needs_ him.

She has spent months checking her phone every five seconds praying for a voicemail or a text declaring that he loves her and that he's changed his mind. She really thought he would change his mind. She had been so certain that if she gave him some space he would realise that what they had was better than not having anything at all.

But she was wrong she now realises as she buries her head in her hands and leans against the black, marble top of the kitchen island between the left over pumpkin pie and the cranberry sauce she had forgotten to serve due to making so many different dishes.

Even if Mark has realised that he needs her, he has chosen not to act on it.

He has let her go and that _kills her_.

She wonders where he is right now. Where and how he is spending his Thanksgiving. Maybe he is gathered around the table at Derek and Meredith's or playing with Sofia at Callie and Arizona's and letting her win whatever game she's coaxed him into.

Or he could be at home. In his big comfy bed. Tangled up in Addison. Giving thanks for those long legs and that flame coloured hair.

Ever since Meredith had mentioned during their weekly phone call a couple of months ago that her former love rival had returned to work at Seattle Grace it had haunted Lexie. The thought that he might move on, or back, with her brother in law's ex wife was more than she could bear. For as far as Lexie is concerned Addison is everything she isn't. Confident and decisive. A risk taker.

If she was more like Addison she knows that right now she would be cuddled up to Mark, her name would be Lexie Grey again and there would be no slightly too tight wedding band almost cutting off the circulation to her ring finger.

She wishes with every fibre of her being that she was more like Addison.

But she isn't, she tells herself as she pulls herself together and begins to load the dishwasher, clanking a few china plates together loudly so her family don't become suspicious at the lack of obvious activity in the kitchen.

She isn't and she never will be.

She smiles slightly as she hears the delighted squeal of her young son from the next room and a quick peak through the tiny gap in the door that has been left a little ajar reveals that the toddler is squirming and giggling in response to being tickled by his father as his grandparents watch fondly from the sofa.

Suddenly a surge of nausea hits her so hard she stumbles backwards and has to tightly grasp the counter to steady herself.

She thinks firstly of Thatcher, the only grandparent Jake can really be sure of. Her father, who has only met her son on two occasions because she never takes him back to Seattle with her . They should be in Seattle right now and he should be fussing over Jake the same proud way he does Zola if only she would give him the chance.

And then she thinks of Mark and nothing but Mark. Of how she may have taken his son from him and given him to another man. Of how she may have stolen all the father son moments that they should have shared. And she knows that she will never forgive herself.

Quietly she moves to the counter and delves into her bag to retrieve her Blackberry, before pulling up a new message screen and punching in the text before she can change her mind.

"_I miss you. We can work this out. All of it…please…I love you…"_

She hits the send button sharply and hopes that he will believe her.

If he will just let her back in then they will work it out.

She will make sure of it.

"Momma!" the tiny voice of her gorgeous son diverts her attention as he toddles across the kitchen towards her and wraps his little arms around her legs, looking up at her all big doe eyes and cute grin.

"I'm hungry!"

"You cannot be hungry Jakey!" she exclaims, scooping him up in her arms and smothering his adorable face with kisses as he giggles.

"Yes I am!" he protests as she tosses her phone back into her bag and concentrates on making her son happy, because that is her main role in life. As long as he's happy everything will be okay.

"You okay?" she asks curiously as she steps out onto the porch to find him slumped on the window seat with a beer cradled in one hand and his cell phone in the other.

"Mark?" she questions again when he doesn't answer after a couple of minutes. He doesn't even look at her.

"Mark, what is it?"

"Nothing" he lies, closing his eyes to try and forget but the text is burned into his retinas.

"_I miss you. We can work this out. All of it…please…I love you…"_

"It's obviously something" she pushes sitting down next to him and tucking her legs beneath her before pushing a stray wave of red hair behind her ear.

"She misses me" he sighs softly.

"She?" Addison looks puzzled for a second before realising.

"Oh! Lexie…"

He twists his cell phone to face her and holds it up long enough for her to be able to read the text.

Her expression remains solemn as she reads it before she looks up at him inquisitively.

"And do you miss her?"

He shrugs.

"It's been five months"

"That's not an answer to my question Mark"

He shrugs again. Because the answer to her question is yes. Yes, he misses her. He misses her every single second of every single day. But he's not sure he wants anyone else to know that. Let alone Addison. He hadn't even meant to tell her about the affair, it had just slipped out late one night when he was lonely and needed to get things off his chest.

"It's taken her five months Addie. She could have called or texted before now. She could have been on the next plane to Seattle chasing after me if she really wanted me, _loved me…"_

"What about the kid?" Addison raises an eyebrow knowingly.

"He's better off without me"

"Mark…that's not true…"

"Isn't it?" he glances sideways at her sadly and takes a swig of beer.

"Not if he's yours, you're a great Dad. Look at Sofia, she adores you!"

"And what if he's not mine, what is I barge in there all guns blazing and he's not mine? What happens then? Avery leaves Lexie for cheating on him and she doesn't want me and then Jake's just another in a long line of kids from broken homes. Like I was…"

She reaches out and strokes his arm softly, not knowing what to say. He never talks about his parents but she knows from Derek that his Dad walked out when he was young and his Mom was never the same again. She drank herself into oblivion and Mark practically had to bring himself up until Mrs Shepherd stepped in.

"I miss her" he admits in barely a whisper.

"I miss her but she'll never leave him and I can't just be the other guy. She was mine first! She was mine and anything else just isn't enough"

"She's a fool" Addison tells him, swiping the bottle from his hand and stealing a swig of his beer.

He objects but only in his head. He doesn't want Addison to know that even after everything he can't bring himself to feel badly of Lexie. He knows she's only doing what she thinks is right. What is probably right. He's damaged goods. Both her and Jake are better off without him.

"She's got a nerve" he snaps suddenly a little angry.

"She's got her perfect little life, yet here she is texting me, not letting me move on when she's never going to leave him, when she's never going to agree to a paternity test, why can't she just let me move on?"

His rant comes from nowhere, surprising even himself.

"You really want to move on?" she questions doubting that it's true.

"Yes" he nods sadly.

"I can't keep letting her do this to me. I won't let her…"

"Then don't" Addison tells him finishing the rest of his beer.

"Show her that you don't need her, move on"

And so he does.

Without taking even a second to really consider what he's about to do, he leans forward and kisses her, with a hunger that only someone who isn't Lexie can satisfy.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Meredith and Derek's family home is bustling with activity. Animated chatter and soft laughter intermingles with the Christmas tunes playing in the background as the alcohol flows and a delicious aroma wafts in from the kitchen.

But Mark has never felt more alone. He is the only solo guest, the only one who doesn't have somebody. Somebody who doesn't really care where they were as long as they are spending the holiday with him.

A quick glance around the room confirms this. Alex and Izzie are celebrating their recent reunion by refusing to take their hands, or lips, off of one another and Cristina and Owen are in the middle of some faux argument he can tell will end up in hot, make up sex later. Bailey and Eli appear to still be going strong and even Thatcher Grey is so absorbed in his new lady friend that he doesn't seem to care about Richard Webber's presence. Richard of course has Adele by his side and Derek and Meredith can be heard laughing softly together in the kitchen as they put the finishing touches on Christmas lunch.

But Mark is completely alone as he observes the other couples from a quiet corner of the room, over by the colossal Christmas tree that is surrounded by Zola's many gifts.

Feeling down he takes a big gulp of the now warm beer he has been cradling for a while as the doorbell chimes and Meredith shouts that she'll get it.

He flicks through the photos from Sofia's gift opening spree on his phone. He settles on his favourite shot, one of the beautiful dark haired little girl, grinning up at him from the middle of a maze of torn red wrapping paper as she had realised what his gift to her was. The hand made dolls house had made her beaming smile spread from ear to ear and for hours she had done nothing but play with it and tell him over and over that it was her "favouritest gift ever!".

But then she had become hungry and Callie and Arizona's parents had arrived and it had been time for him to leave. They hadn't even invited him to stay for Christmas lunch this year, just another sign that their family was becoming one that he was no longer really involved in.

He was sure that Meredith and Derek had invited him out of pity over anything else. Pity and a desire not to be burden with the guilt that they had left him to celebrate Christmas alone in front of the TV.

But the truth is that he feels more alone here than he ever does at home.

"Don't be silly" he hears Meredith's say as she comes into the room.

"Of course it's no trouble, we've cooked enough to feed an army and we can bring some chairs in from the conversatory. It's a great surprise, I'm so happy you're here! Dad, look who's here!"

"Lexie!" Thatcher Grey exclaims in delight and instantly Mark's heart begins to pound.

It can't be true. It can't be. She isn't here, she's in New York with her husband, she would never come here. Especially not at Christmas.

He follows the older man with his eyes as he almost bounds across the room and envelopes his daughter in his arms.

It's true. She's here, looking as beautiful as ever and there's no sign of Avery.

He feels a little sick. Sick with delight. Lexie, _his Lexie _is here. It's been six months and just catching sight of her from across the crowded room is enough to make his stomach do somersaults as she hugs her father and explains that Jackson is working so she thought she would come and spend Christmas with her family.

"It's a shame he couldn't come too" Meredith tells her sister and instantly Mark disagrees in his head. It's not a shame at all. If he wasn't working she wouldn't be here. And he didn't ever want her to be anywhere but here. Thank goodness for Christmas rotas.

"It's okay" Lexie smiles softly and reaches down to ruffle her sons dark hair.

"We had our own little family Christmas yesterday, didn't we Jakey?"

"Two Cwistmases!" the little boy announces happily as he holds up two fingers to demonstrate.

"Two Christmases?" Meredith exclaims with a smile as she gathers her nephew up in her arms and presses a kiss to his soft cheek.

"Does that mean double the presents?"

"I got lots of pwesents!" he grins delightedly.

"Well you know what? I think there might be another one for you under our tree. Shall we go an have a look?" Meredith tells him, ordering Derek to get her sister a drink before lowering the toddler to the ground, taking his hand and leading him over to the majestic tree.

And it's not Lexie Mark is looking at anymore. His attention is entirely focused on the beautiful boy pulling Meredith excitedly towards the tree, eager to tear into another present.

His heart leaps into his mouth as he gazes at the boy who could so easily be his.

He searches for visible clues, for anything he can attach even the tiniest smidgen of hope to in the same way he used to do when he scanned the photos on Lexie's phone.

But this is different. This time, his son, his boy is so close he could reach out, hold him in his arms and never let him go.

And he wants to. He wants to so bad. All he wants to do is hold him in his arms. In one arm, with Lexie slotted neatly under the other. He wants a family. He yearns for a family. _His_ family. He wants that more than anything.

Lexie knows that as she watches him stare at her son from across the room.

Her heart aches as she witnesses the pain and longing tingeing his sad blue eyes.

She carries the knowledge that this is all her fault around like the heaviest weight on her shoulders and she doesn't know if he will ever let her put it right.

She lowers her gaze to her gorgeous boy and together they watch him beam with delight at the toy doctor's kit his aunt and uncle have bought him.

"Now you can be just like your Momma and Daddy!" Meredith tells him, helping him to put the blue plastic stethoscope in his ears as he holds the other end up to listen to her heart.

"Momma makes people's hearts better when they're broken!" Jake informs his aunt proudly and the irony is not lost on Mark or Lexie.

Because she doesn't always mend broken hearts.

Sometimes she is the one who does the breaking.

"Your heart's not poorly Awuntie 'eredith!" he delivers his diagnosis with the cutest grin, baring all of his perfect white teeth joyfully.

Lexie glances up at Mark at the exact same moment he turns his head to steal a look at her. As their eyes lock she gulps and holds his gaze, hoping he knows that she never meant to break his heart and that she would fix it in a second if she knew a way out of the mess she has gotten herself into.

But before she can tell whether she has conveyed what she wants to, he looks away and back at Jake for a brief second before Derek starts ushering everyone to the table for lunch.

Neither knows how they manage to get through it. They sit as far away from each other as possible and avoid all eye contact. Lexie busies herself with ensuring that Jake gets more food in his mouth than down the front of his brand new outfit and Mark talks to the Chief about his latest surgery, pausing only to steal brief glances at Lexie being a loving mother when he's sure she won't catch him.

He has never seen this side to her before but he likes it. Loves it even. It's better than he could ever have imagined. The role suits her well.

He just wishes an understudy wasn't always playing his part in the production.

When dinner is over he makes more idle conversation about work before slinking away to hide in the kitchen, needing to be alone to gather his thoughts. But she witnesses his swift exit and, after ensuring that Jake is happily playing with Zola, she gathers up all her courage and finally follows him.

Hovering in the doorway she watches as his emotions finally get the better of him and a single tear slides slowly down his cheek.

"Mark" she murmurs, her heart breaking knowing how much hurt and pain she has caused him.

He looks up and quickly wipes away the tear.

"I was just…erm…"

"Yeah" she nods not wanting to embarrass him and knowing that he is well aware that she knows what he was doing and why.

She moves forward into the kitchen slightly so can slide the door shut so they won't be overheard.

"You didn't reply to my text" she states quietly when she turns back to look at him.

"No" he shakes his head not knowing what else to say.

"Are you seeing someone else?" she questions hesitantly not really wanting to know the answer but at the same time needing to.

"I don't think that's any of your business" he tells her firmly and instantly regrets it.

"No, no it's not, your right" she nods biting her lip and trying to force back her tears.

He can see the pain in her deep brown eyes, hear it in the creak in her voice as she speaks. And he can't do it. He knows that just the thought of him with someone else is destroying her in the same way the fact that she's with Jackson kills him. And he can't bring himself to hurt her, even if she's hurting him.

"Of course I'm not seeing someone else Lex" he tells her softly.

"I don't want anyone else, you know that"

The words have barely passed over his lips before she moves quickly towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in his chest.

And he can't fight it.

He knows that he should push her away. That he should send her back to her husband and move on but he is powerless. Especially when she's so close and all he has to do is reach out his arms and she'll be in them.

So he does. He wraps his arms so tightly around her he worries that he might break her.

"I'm sorry" she mumbles into his chest, her tears soaking into his black sweater.

"I'm so sorry"

"I'm sorry too" he whispers, reaching up to stroke her hair softly.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for" she tells him, lifting her head to look at him.

Tenderly he wipes a few tears from her smooth cheek and gazes down at her lovingly.

"He's perfect" he tells her with a slight nod of his head.

She smiles and nods, sighing a little as she does.

"He looks just like you Lex, he's gorgeous"

"He's my baby boy" she smiles softly.

"He's cute too"

"He's adorable" she grins.

"But then I am slightly biased"

"Biased you may be, but you're right" he laughs before watching her for a few minutes without a word.

She rests her head against his shoulder and cuddles as close to him as she can get. Enjoying being back in his arms, enjoying the feeling that she always gets in his arms. That feeling of finally being home.

"I want to spend some time with him. When do you go back to New York?" he questions when he finally breaks the comfortable silence.

"The day after tomorrow…but Mark…"

"No Lexie, don't tell me this isn't a good idea" he instructs her firmly.

"I'm just asking for some time. Nothing more. Just a few hours, is that really too much to ask?"

"No, I guess not. But I have to be there too or he'll be confused"

"Of course" he nods unable to believe that she agreed so easily.

"Tomorrow? What does he like to do?"

"Erm…" she pauses to think for a second.

"He loves animals, we could go to the zoo?"

"The zoo sounds fun" he flashes her a genuine smile.

"Thank you"

"You don't have to thank me" she tells him knowing it's the least she can do. To let him spend some time with the little boy who might just be his. She just doesn't know where it will lead and that scares her slightly.

"I do" he whispers softly.

"You came home"

She nods silently.

She did come home and in that moment, in his arms, she doesn't know how she will ever leave.

**Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. If you did I'd love it if you took the time to leave me a review : )**


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